Friday, August 2, 2013

Nuclear Power in Decline

From The Economist
Nuclear accounts for 10 per cent of electricity production, 75 per cent of French and 19 per cent of US electricity production.

Europe accounts for all countries where nuclear accounts for a percentage higher than 30 per cent of production.

The number of reactors peaked in 2002 at 444, compared with 427 today. The share of electricity they produce is down 12% from its 2006 peak, largely because of post-Fukushima shutdowns in Japan. As a proportion of all electricity generated, nuclear peaked in 1993 at 17% and has now fallen to 10%. The average age of operating plants is increasing, with the number over 40 years old (currently 31 plants) set to grow quite rapidly.